Ray Horton: I think I’ll be a head coach this year

Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton is one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the league with the Browns, Bills and his current team all talking to him already about their openings.

Horton spoke to reporters about the process on Wednesday, saying that he already has an offensive staff picked out that he would take with him to any head coaching job and that staying with the Cardinals would be his first choice. Horton also said that he didn’t feel he was just being used as a token candidate to fulfill teams’ obligations under the Rooney Rule.

“Oh, no question, no question. I think my background and the way the players have performed for me speaks for itself. I’ve been to five Super Bowls and been on No. 1 defenses and guys out here responded to me very well. So if you’re asking me do I think I’m going to be a head coach this year, I’ll say yes,” Horton said, via Kent Somers of AZ Central Sports. “I think the rule gives you an opportunity to expose yourself to somebody. Like I said, change is good and it exposes you to different ideas, which you are able to express to people.”

Somers has a transcript of Horton’s whole media session which is worth a read for anyone curious about the interview process to become an NFL head coach. Horton’s candid about what he talked to the Cardinals about, including thoughts on the team’s offense, and he certainly comes off as a well prepared candidate. Whether that’s enough to land him a job is something we’ll have to wait a bit longer to learn.

It cracks me up everytime I see comments about him being a token Rooney Rule candidate. When you say “he’s just a token minority interview” you are actually justifying the rule in the first place. Horton is a fantastic coordinator. The AZ defense, time and time again, would come up with a huge play only to let down by the offense. Dismissing him outright as a token interview without actually looking at the numbers… is the same thing as an owner not giving him a real look, which is why they created the Rule in the first place.

If there’s a token interview happening in Arizona, it’s Andy Reid. PFT has reported previously that the thought process was replace Whizz with Horton. I’d be really shocked if that isn’t ultimately what happens, because I think if he wasn’t under serious consideration they would have fired him with Whizz. They kept him (and his entire defensive staff) on the payroll as a sign of respect.

I hope Ray Horton gets the opportunity to showcase his ability as a head coach along with strengthening the ideal of hiring new coaches instead of the yearly Good Ole Boys network getting together only to hire a retread coaches.